University of Nebraska--Lincoln student Kennadi Griffis, a third-year environmental science major, with a concentration in soil science and a water science minor, competed in the International Soil Judging Competition last week in Stirling, Scotland.
Griffis, of Lincoln, is a member of Team USA, along with students from Virginia Tech, North Carolina State University and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, and two coaches from Virginia Tech. She is the first student from Nebraska to earn a spot on the national team.
The contest was held as part of the 2022 World Congress of Soil Science. Participants received training from soil experts in the United Kingdom and represented their respective countries in the contest. The event was hosted by the British Society of Soil Science on behalf of the International Union of Soil Science. Other countries sending teams to the contest included Korea, Hungary, Germany, Italy, U.K. and Spain. The U.S. team trained together online throughout the summer.
Students learned about the soils of Scotland, meet and network with soil scientists from around the world and compete on an international stage. Stirling, Scotland, is known as the "Gateway to the Highlands." In Scotland, students encountered Spodosols (colorful forest soils regarded as the most beautiful soils by many soil scientists) and Histosols (organic soils, such as those of peatlands).
Griffis earned a spot on Team USA by placing fourth individually in the 2022 National Collegiate Soils Contest sponsored by the Soil Science Society of America and hosted by The Ohio State University April 18-23 near Columbus, Ohio. The national contest included 84 individual students from 21 colleges and universities. Other University of Nebraska--Lincoln Soil Judging Team members include Charlotte Brockman, an agriculture and environmental science communication major; Johnathan Kelly, a water science and environmental restoration science double major; Mason Rutgers, an agronomy major; and Mason Schumacher, an environmental science major.
The team was coached by Judith Turk, a pedologist in the Conservation and Survey Division of natural resources, and Becky Young, a professor of practice in agronomy and horticulture.
Funding for Griffis' trip was provided through the Agronomic Science Foundation, as well as contributions from CASNR, the School of Natural Resources and the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture.
Categories: Nebraska, General